Hello everyone,

I'm currently in Edmonton on a business trip. Though I have been to Alberta (Calgary) a number of times, this is my first visit to the City of Champions.

I have to say that I am very impressed, though I have troubles defining what it is about Edmonton that makes it so.... nice. This leads me to guess that such subtleties could only come from a well-planned city, or perhaps there's some subconscious bias that endears me to this place. I can say that the downtown core has a picturesque location, perched over the N. Saskatchewan river. The valley itself is beautiful. Maybe it's the trees, Ive never seen so much softwood in a city, which maybe what appeals to me (I'm constantly drawn to northern climes).

Architecturally, so far I've noted MacEwan college (sp?) with it's striking towers, and I love the design of the Commonwealth stadium. I paid a visit to WEM, and I have to say I was entirely underwhelmed. It didn't seem very large at all, and my god, most of the interior looks like it hasn't changed since when it was built. It actually had that dying mall feel to it (besides the obvious newer parts of the mall, of which I was genuinely impressed). I'm happy to say that was the only negative thing I could think about on my trip.

I was here during the cold snap, and I forgot that salt doesn't work in such extreme temperatures, so the rutted icy roads were a novelty. The weather certainly didn't deter me.... the snow and sharp cold air contributed to the overall quality of the city.

I would totally move here. Sorry theres no pics... yet. Not much time for good photos. Cheers.

A lot of people I know from Edmonton are very rude towards other Canadians. I know Edmonton is a great city, but it seems everyone I know that lives there is an asshole. :(

^ weird. Maybe you have bad luck (or attract assholes).

I forgot to mention, the Alberta legislature is absolutely gorgeous.

Good to hear your feedback on Edmonton and it is about bang on what i feel. As to VID and the rude people....i find Edmontonians to be some of the most welcoming people in this country.

check out

www.connect2edmonton.com for images and info.


cheers

Maybe you have bad luck (or attract assholes).

They do say opposites attract...

I've always wanted to go to Edmonton, my cousin lives there and she always tells me how great it is. The only place in Alberta I've been to is Calgary, and within one minute of stepping out of my friends van someone was trying to buy drugs off me(seriously, not a lie, one munite). I believe I was sixteen at the time. I haven't had that great of a first impression since I went to Toronto and got flipped off by a lady when I asked her for directions.

I'm a people person.

Edmonton is a wonderful city. It has really matured over the last 10 years, and I love it there. The downtown is cosmopolitan, and I prefer it over Calgary (I lived in Calgary from 2000 to 2003). Of course, Calgary has changed since we left, and the number of towers u/c and proposed is staggering...

Great city but the housing costs have skyrocketed in the last few years. Average of $1400 for a small 2 bedroom apartment? I predict a real estate collapse.

Alberta needs rent control!

Oh God no! Alberta isn't the Soviet Union... All Alberta needs is to build many more houses and apartment buildings in order to drive down prices.

They are being built, but when there is a massive shortage of labor, it makes it difficult.

Edmonton has a lot more stock than Calgary, and given that the number of people moving to Calgary is still high, keeping up is impossible. Of course, the gov't of Alberta should be using some of its massive surplus for affordable housing!

LOL! Alberta with subsidized housing it like Manitoba with no business tax! Ain't gonna happen!

To show how much Alberta is sucking the country dry, Thunder Bay has just enough workers to fit the amount of construction in the city. And more construction, and we'll need to find new people. And that's Thunder Bay! :P Only a dozen things are under construction now, at most. :P

There MUST be some form of rent control in Alberta or the people moving there will dry up and if you think there is a shortage of workers then just wait.
Right now someone's rent can triple if it wanted at the end of their lease and there is not a damn thing you can do about it except either pay or move but where would you move to?
Fantastic paying jobs are great but not if most of your increase in wages just goes to higher rent and that is assuming you can find anywhere to live in the first place.
As far as I'm concerned if a new building goes up they should be able to charge any rent they like but for people in the apt already and are renewing then the rent should only be able to go up with inflation plus maybe 2% or so.

Obviously attracting people to your city is a good thing, and if you want to attract Immigrants (many who are of limited means), where in hell are they supposed to live? Without rent control, the problem of affordable housing will only increase.

really crappy places like around the " Ave. of Nations " , I lived there and what an experience that was. Maybe someone from Edmonton can explain what that part of town is like to everyone else.

I drove around that area, and from what I saw, it needs some revitalization, but it is nothing like Vancouver's East side!

one night I woke up to the sound of Shot Guns out side .

Free entertainment, man!

Free entertainment, my ass! :weird:

You probably heard some cars backfiring.

no , because shortly after that My Building was lit on fire and a man was killed in the alley .

Oh, um, well, what doesn't kill you...:dunno:

A lot of people I know from Edmonton are very rude towards other Canadians.

Peoples from alberta are very friendly to me, but not same think for ontario.

People from Ontario, especially Toronto, I have found, are extremely hostile and intolerant to other Canadians, even from their own province. They're too short-sighted to realise that THAT is why we say they think they are the centre of the universe.

Hell, I find New Yorkers friendlier than Torontonians!

People from Ontario, especially Toronto, I have found, are extremely hostile and intolerant to other Canadians, even from their own province. They're too short-sighted to realise that THAT is why we say they think they are the centre of the universe.

these generalizations are so absurd and just... stupid. There are intelligent and sensitive people everywhere. Toronto doesn't have a monopoly on hostile, rude and intolerant people. In fact, I would confidently describe Toronto's culture as very accepting, tolerant, and liberal. Seriously vid, you seem like a smart guy, don't fall for this nonsense.

Lets can the generalizations... they're utterly untrue.

Case in point, when I lived in Toronto, I found that most of the people I met, worked with, went to school with, etc..... a large amount of them actually hailed from somewhere else. So how the hell can one generalize on Torontonians?

I met someone in Calgary once who told me that Toronto (and Ontario) wasn't really Canadian. I said 'that's funny, cause that's where most Canadians live'.

Everyone I met in Calgary and Edmonton were very nice, before and after I told them where I was from. Funny enough, alot of people I met in Calgary were actually from Ontario. Not so much in Edmonton it seemed. I had on woman in Edmonton tell me that people from Ontario didn't know what Wind Chill was :ohno:

My mother thought Edmonton was the size of Kitchener (to be fair, she grew up in the UK).

There's no accounting for prejudice, ignorance and attitude... it's everywhere.

these generalizations are so absurd and just... stupid. There are intelligent and sensitive people everywhere. Toronto doesn't have a monopoly on hostile, rude and intolerant people. In fact, I would confidently describe Toronto's culture as very accepting, tolerant, and liberal. Seriously vid, you seem like a smart guy, don't fall for this nonsense.

Well, then I guess it's just the majority of Torontonians I meet here. Zaki and Urban are likely the biggest culprits, though they are not as memorable as KGB, and the venerable Mr. AreBe.

wow, ok...

wow, ok...

I know. It truly is mind boggling.

Have you ever met AreBe? An interesting person, indeed.

The Most Honourable AreBe Quote Machine (http://individual.utoronto.ca/negativesleep/quotegen/arebe.htm)

I have always found BCers not so much rude but aloof. Difficult to make friends and judgemental in the EXTREME.
BCers are byfar the least travelled of all Canadians when it comes to actually visiting the rest of Canada. They have all been to California, Mexico, Hawaii, and alot to Australia but never the rest of Canada.
EVERYONE I have meet since I moved here in '89 and are also provincial transplants all say the same thing.
BCers travel a lot but see no reason in seeing the rest of the country.
Albertans are red-necks, the Prearies are cold, hate Toronto, Quebecers do nothing but bitch and Atlantic Canadians are generally nice and friendly but they have never been there either.
I find it quite sad that people out here generally feel that there is nothing worth seeing east of Calgary.

^ Flat land and little humps that the locals call mountains are intimidating?